Never Alone
by KricketWilliams
Summary: What Morgan was thinking about after he left the board room with Ellie and her mother, and a little help from a friend. I don't own a thing.


_AN: I was watching the episode last night, and I couldn't get that look Morgan had on his face off of my mind. I wanted to hug him! Since I can't do it..._

He walked out of the conference room after watching Ellie Spicer reunite with her mother, hoping he'd done a good thing. He hated the feeling of uncertainty. He was the kind of man who knew his own mind. He made a decision and stuck with it. Rarely did he waffle.

In this case, he couldn't help himself.

He'd promised to look after her, promised her father before he'd died. He'd done it out of duty, he'd done it because of the code he lived by. He'd watch out for her to honor the memory of her father, a fellow law enforcement official.

However, then he'd held that little girl out on the street, and he'd sworn he could feel her pain. This was someone he could be completely empathetic with. Holding her had brought out long stifled feelings, ones he'd buried when he was her age, trying so hard to be grown. He'd held her, and he'd felt an old wound that had never healed starting to knit together again.

Then, he began to receive a text or two or three every day. Texts from the bubbly little girl with the huge blue eyes that matched her equally enormous heart, saying what her day was like, wishing him a good day, telling him her problems. Somewhere along the line, it had stopped being a duty, and instead, was driven by something much more.

He was concerned for the little girl he'd grown to love and care about like she was his own.

So he walked, his usual arrogant swagger, his black go bag tossed over his shoulder, heading towards the elevator. He told himself he was happy with what he'd done. He knew Hotch was right: children were adaptable. Ellie had the benefit of her mother loving her and really wishing for another chance. He knew he'd done the right thing...

...and he'd never felt so alone in his entire life.

For the first time in a very long time, Derek Morgan felt the sting of tears threatening behind his eyes. His walk sped up to nearly a jog. He was mortified at his feelings, his thoughts. He was being completely selfish. The child belonged with her mother, not a nearly forty year old bachelor.

He made it to the elevators and pushed the button.

"Great," he growled, noticing that it was on the ground level. The BAU was on level thirteen; he had a long wait ahead of him.

He'd planned on going to the gym, hitting the punching bags to knock some sense back into himself, and maybe grabbing a beer at a bar afterward. Instead, he had to stand there and grapple with emotions he was completely uncomfortable with.

He was a rock. He was his own man. He truly didn't need anyone. He was fine being alone; he would be crazy to want a family to cramp his style.

His heart seized in his chest again, twisting and aching. He could deny a lot of things, say it and mean it, but his heart always made him tell the truth.

He was alone. There was no one. He was on his own. . .

. . . And he hated it.

"Did her momma come for her, Hot Stuff?"

The tired voice of Garcia caused him to turn. She'd been there a very long time that day; he thought she'd left hours ago.

He faced her, trying to school his expression into something less than the ragged pain he felt. "Yeah, she did."

Garcia's perceptive gaze wandered over him as she cocked her head to the side. "You okay, sugar? 'Cause if you're not, this sweet momma has no plans for this evening."

He couldn't help but smile a little. She had that effect on him. "What are you doing here so late, anyway? Shouldn't you be home already?"

She smiled and took a step forward, placing her hand on his cheek like he had done for her so many times before. "After he put so much effort into the care of a little girl, I thought someone could use some Garcie therapy."

He bristled a little. "It wasn't effort, Garcia. I'd gladly do it again. She needed me and—"

"And you gave her love, Derek. Something she will always be grateful for." She raised her other hand so that she was cupping his face. "I know I am, every day of my life."

He felt that stinging again, but this time, he didn't mind so much. He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. "How do you do that, Baby Girl? Take a rotten moment, and turn it completely around?"

"Easy," she replied, completely deadpan. "I'm magic."

"That you are," he said with a chuckle. He kissed the top of her head before releasing her. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's get coffee...I'm buying."

She giggled as she walked into the elevator. "Of course you are. I'm not cheap, you know."

He followed her with a wistful smile, knowing he was never truly alone...as long as he had friends.


End file.
